forts by which it was defended. The only places now remaining in the
hands of the French and his Neapolitan Majesty's rebellious subjects,
were Capua and Gaieta. Against the former of these, on the 14th,
Captains Troubridge and Hallowell began to make preparations, by landing
a thousand men from the squadron; which, uniting with four thousand
other troops, of various denominations, marched in a few days to effect
it's reduction.
On the 17th, Lord Nelson, by the desire of his Sicilian Majesty, sent a
letter to Captain Troubridge, directing him, when he sent in a summons
to the commander of the French troops in Capua, to state that, on
condition of immediately giving up Capua and Gaieta, both being under
his command, the French garrisons, after laying down their arms, should
be permitted to go to France without any restrictions; but, if this were
not complied with, they should be considered as prisoners of war, with
as degrading terms as it was in his power to give them: in short, the
allies must dictate the terms. To this letter, there was a remarkable
postscript; which serves to shew, with what marked contempt his lordship
regarded those whom he had reason to consider as traitors--"There is a
person," says his lordship, "who has been a _notorious rebel;_ but, now,
_pretends_ to serve his king faithfully. If he should attempt to come
even into your presence, I earnestly request, that you will never
voluntarily admit him to your sight, much less speak to him; for honour
and loyalty, which you possess, never ought to be contaminated with
infamy and rebellion. His name is said to be _Roccaromara_." There can
be no doubt, that Lord Nelson had good reasons for this positive
caution: the want of which might, perhaps, have been prejudicial to the
expedition; if not fatal to this his lordship's favourite commander, for
whose honour and welfare he was to the full as solicitous as for his
own.
Just as every thing was arranged, ready to march against Capua, the
event which his lordship had anticipated in his letter to Earl Spencer
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